West Indies vs Pakistan - 3rd Test
Just for the record, I don't believe in bringing in young players and debuting players in dead tests - always play your strongest team and always play to win in test matches.
One change for the match as the pitch is a raging seamer Tonge comes in to make his debut for Miller. Miller has taken only two wickets in the series and has been totally outbowled by Wallace. We will miss Miller's lower order batting for sure, but ultimately you have to pick bowlers for their bowling. Richards keeps his place at the top of the order, but with just one fifty in 4 tests so far considering his age this may be his career on the line.
We lose the toss and bowl, but considering the pitch it's not that bad a second choice. A good toss to lose.
Pakistan 1st Innings - 268 all out (Umar 104, Tonge 4-68)
A bit disappointing that we let them get away after having them really teetering at 90-5. Umar was truly excellent in a counter-attacking innings (104 from just 117 deliveries) guiding the tail to a good total on this pitch. Tonge impressed on debut and Wallace finished the tail off by claiming the wickets of no's 8, 10 and 11 in one over.
West Indies 1st innings - 228 all out (Gayle 70, Saadat Munir 5-57)
Gayle is the only batsman to really make anything worthwhile, though Sarwan and Bravo both made 20 before being dislodged. Sammy (31) and Taylor (21) made useful contributions that were essential in giving us a chance. We will have to bowl well now, anything over 200 is going to be a very tricky chase in the last innings.
Pakistan 2nd innings - 402 all out (Manzoor 99, Alam 94, Sammy 4-90)
Well we'll have to chase just a bit more than 200 it seems! The Pakistan top order made consistent partnerships and at 275-3 we knew the match was going away from us. Taylor has been poor in a dead rubber again, I wonder if that will be a trend? With 5 sessions left in the match we will need a miracle to chase this down on this pitch. We need 443 to win, but I'll be surprised if we make 300.
West Indies 2nd Innings - 229 all out (Gayle 66, Munir 8-55)
Munir bowls exceptionally to finish with 13 wickets in the match. Bravo (40) was the only other effort of note from our top 6, but we didn't lose the match in this innings but in our bowling performance in favourable conditions on day 3. Still overall a very pleasing series win.
Pakistan win by 213 runs
West Indies win the series 2-1
Gayle - 349 runs @ 58.17, 1 hundred, 3 fifties
Pollard - 218 @ 43.60, 2 fifties
Sarwan - 194 @ 38.80, 2 fifties
Ramdin - 175 @ 35.00, 1 hundred
Bravo - 158 @ 31.60, 1 fifty
Chanderpaul - 154 @ 30.80, 1 fifty
Sammy - 148 @ 37.00, 1 fifty
Taylor - 89 @ 17.80
Miller - 69 @ 34.50
Richards - 59 @ 9.83
Gayle was consistent in giving us good starts but his partner Richards was poor with a top score of 17. He is 33 now and will never play for WI again. Our middle order kept on getting starts but none of them pushed on and made a hundred once which is a bit worrying. I hope it isn't a trend, especially for Pollard who averages a very impressive 50.46 in his 8 tests but with only one hundred.
Taylor - 15 wickets @ 31.67, 1 five-for
Bravo - 14 @ 31.07
Wallace - 13 @ 21.54
Sammy - 11 @ 31.27
Tonge - 5 @ 29.40
Miller - 2 @ 83.50
Wallace was excellent in his debut series and Tonge impressed on debut too which both bode well for the future. Taylor bowled excellently in the first two tests before bowling trash in the final test, which strangely was on the most beneficial pitch for quick bowling.
Next up is the five match ODI series.
Just for the record, I don't believe in bringing in young players and debuting players in dead tests - always play your strongest team and always play to win in test matches.
One change for the match as the pitch is a raging seamer Tonge comes in to make his debut for Miller. Miller has taken only two wickets in the series and has been totally outbowled by Wallace. We will miss Miller's lower order batting for sure, but ultimately you have to pick bowlers for their bowling. Richards keeps his place at the top of the order, but with just one fifty in 4 tests so far considering his age this may be his career on the line.
We lose the toss and bowl, but considering the pitch it's not that bad a second choice. A good toss to lose.
Pakistan 1st Innings - 268 all out (Umar 104, Tonge 4-68)
A bit disappointing that we let them get away after having them really teetering at 90-5. Umar was truly excellent in a counter-attacking innings (104 from just 117 deliveries) guiding the tail to a good total on this pitch. Tonge impressed on debut and Wallace finished the tail off by claiming the wickets of no's 8, 10 and 11 in one over.
West Indies 1st innings - 228 all out (Gayle 70, Saadat Munir 5-57)
Gayle is the only batsman to really make anything worthwhile, though Sarwan and Bravo both made 20 before being dislodged. Sammy (31) and Taylor (21) made useful contributions that were essential in giving us a chance. We will have to bowl well now, anything over 200 is going to be a very tricky chase in the last innings.
Pakistan 2nd innings - 402 all out (Manzoor 99, Alam 94, Sammy 4-90)
Well we'll have to chase just a bit more than 200 it seems! The Pakistan top order made consistent partnerships and at 275-3 we knew the match was going away from us. Taylor has been poor in a dead rubber again, I wonder if that will be a trend? With 5 sessions left in the match we will need a miracle to chase this down on this pitch. We need 443 to win, but I'll be surprised if we make 300.
West Indies 2nd Innings - 229 all out (Gayle 66, Munir 8-55)
Munir bowls exceptionally to finish with 13 wickets in the match. Bravo (40) was the only other effort of note from our top 6, but we didn't lose the match in this innings but in our bowling performance in favourable conditions on day 3. Still overall a very pleasing series win.
Pakistan win by 213 runs
West Indies win the series 2-1
Gayle - 349 runs @ 58.17, 1 hundred, 3 fifties
Pollard - 218 @ 43.60, 2 fifties
Sarwan - 194 @ 38.80, 2 fifties
Ramdin - 175 @ 35.00, 1 hundred
Bravo - 158 @ 31.60, 1 fifty
Chanderpaul - 154 @ 30.80, 1 fifty
Sammy - 148 @ 37.00, 1 fifty
Taylor - 89 @ 17.80
Miller - 69 @ 34.50
Richards - 59 @ 9.83
Gayle was consistent in giving us good starts but his partner Richards was poor with a top score of 17. He is 33 now and will never play for WI again. Our middle order kept on getting starts but none of them pushed on and made a hundred once which is a bit worrying. I hope it isn't a trend, especially for Pollard who averages a very impressive 50.46 in his 8 tests but with only one hundred.
Taylor - 15 wickets @ 31.67, 1 five-for
Bravo - 14 @ 31.07
Wallace - 13 @ 21.54
Sammy - 11 @ 31.27
Tonge - 5 @ 29.40
Miller - 2 @ 83.50
Wallace was excellent in his debut series and Tonge impressed on debut too which both bode well for the future. Taylor bowled excellently in the first two tests before bowling trash in the final test, which strangely was on the most beneficial pitch for quick bowling.
Next up is the five match ODI series.
